Refund of Deposit

Wanted to know the opinion of all of you who regularly go to Canada. I’m the leader of a group. The group can change each year by one or two guys. This year two of the guys our new.One of them is in his 80s and would actually fly into Wisconsin to join us this year. Age and health issues. This was going to be is once-in-a-lifetime fishing trip to Canada. Given that we are scheduled for the second week of the season, it looks like we are out of luck.

The outfitter I use purchased the business about three years ago. We have been going to this location for well over 20 years. Overall, the new owners have been decent and good. However, they are taking the position that they will roll the deposit over for a year or two but they will not return. This is not making the 80-year-old newcomer happy, given that he doesn’t think he will be able to go next year.

I can understand losing the deposit if you voluntarily do not go on the trip. However, this does not seem right to me, given that we cannot cross the border.  What do all of you think?

I would have the other guys in the group pay the  80  year old his money back and find someone to fill his spot or at least someone on the hook for his spot in the event that he can't go whenever we all can cross the border.  

Deposits usually aren't that much Our group 3 main people When we get deposits for our group it isn't separated all in one If one doesn't go we pay him back outfitter uses the deposit money for the year he only cars we have a good time if your outfitter claims the guy didnt come and the money was his You have had the wrong outfitter And I doubt that he will do that Talk to him  After all and 80 year old mans deposit is mostly pocket change

Our outfitter is rolling our deposit to 2021. In the event we can’t go in 2021, she will refund the money next year. The deposits from this year will keep outfitters afloat. They know(hopefully) they will get money next year. Or just go in fall when bookings are low and normally cheaper.

Contacted my outfitter and had no problem transferring my deposit from my opening May trip to next year, we have 6 in our group, if the outfitter is out of business next season due to losing the entire season, then our $400 a person deposits are a drop in the bucket for a business that's treated us like family and charged a very fair price for a great vacation experience for us for the past 12 years, I am more concerned about many of these businesses going under than my deposit, these are truly bad times. 

Somewhere in my ethical mind, them refusing to refund your deposits because they won't be in business next year sounds a lot like theft to me.

Wini-  We have been in contact with our outfitter since early April and we just recently cancelled our early June trip to the last week in August. I had originally asked the outfitter if we could just rollover our deposits to next year and they replied that they may not even be in business next year if they lose most or all of this season. They also would not be refunding deposits if they lost most of the season. We are keeping our fingers crossed that our countries can overcome this terrible virus and we can make the August trip. I assume numerous outfitters would be if trouble in they lost most of the season and that would be a shame.. Best of luck to your group..         

We originally had two trips slated for Canada. A June couples trip and an early fall guys trip. Even if the border is open we will likely cancel the June trip. We are all in our 60's and some of the wives have health issues. We are simply telling the Resort to keep the deposits. Typically this money is spent getting the camp ready for summer so the money is already spent and in our case it is unlikely we would go back to this particular camp.

Screw Canada with all their regulations, barb less hooks, and limit of 1 fish per person coming back into the USA.

Go to Lake Erie and bring home a cooler full of walleye fillets!

Agree with below. I would just have the group pitch in and pay back the 80 year old and then get the money from who ever takes the spot next year.  

Being that you have a group that returns to this lodge yearly, return his deposit out of your own pocket and then have the lodge owner carry his deposit over to next year and apply it to you.

We have been rolling over for deposit for 15 years rather than paying each year.  We do have a few who have not gone for several years and they left their deposit with the camp in the event they return.  These outfitters are going to have a tough time I and would give them a break.  The 80 year old is an exception, under the circumstances I would ask the outfitter to return the 80 years old's deposit only. Sounds like there is a good chance the rest of you will return in the future